Roberto Luongo signs long-term contract extension

Vancouver, B.C. - Vancouver Canucks President and General Manager Mike Gillis announced today that goaltender Roberto Luongo has agreed to terms on a 12 year contract extension through the 2021-2022 season.

“Today is a very exciting day for the Canucks organization,” said Mike Gillis. “Roberto Luongo is the leader of our hockey team; he is in the prime of his playing career and has a tremendous desire to make the Canucks a championship team. His leadership, competitiveness and character are what this team will represent for many years to come.”

“This is a great day for me and my family,” said Roberto Luongo. “I love playing in a passionate hockey city like Vancouver and along with my teammates I am committed to doing everything I can to help make this a championship team.”

Luongo, 30, posted a record of 33-13-7 during the 2008-09 campaign, marking the fourth consecutive season that he has registered 30 or more wins. Luongo established a franchise record for most shutouts in a season (9) in addition to setting a franchise record for the longest shutout sequence, playing 242:36 without allowing an opposition goal (second longest streak in the modern NHL).

He held the League’s second longest winning streak this past season, posting eight consecutive wins (Feb. 3-21/09). Luongo also helped lead the Canucks to the Western Conference Semi-Finals for the second time in his career. During the 2009 Stanley Cup Playoffs, the Montreal native went 6-4 and posted his first career playoff shutout. Luongo was recognized as an NHL All-Star, Canucks Molson Cup winner and Scotiabank NHL Fan Fav award winner in 2008-09 for his on-ice accomplishments.

Luongo has appeared in 544 NHL games, posting a career record of 230-232-64 and 2.57 goals against average. He ranks fourth among active goaltenders for most career shutouts (47) and became one of only 53 goaltenders in League history to play 500 or more NHL games. Luongo has a career Playoff record of 11-11. In his playoff debut in 2006-07, he set a new league record for most shots faced by a goaltender in a single game (76) and tied the league record for most saves (72) while playing in the franchise’s longest game in Playoff history (138:06).

Luongo has also represented Canada numerous times on the international stage. He won gold at the World Championships (2004 and 2003) and World Cup (2004) and won silver at the World Championships (2005) and World Junior Championships (1999). The Montreal native also represented Canada at the 2006 Olympic Games and recently attended Team Canada’s 2010 Olympic orientation camp.

The 6’3”, 205 lbs, native of Montreal, Quebec was drafted by the New York Islanders fourth overall in the 1997 NHL Entry Draft. He was originally acquired by the Canucks from Florida on June 23, 2006.